Question 1

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the past tense?
A)The governor will veto the bill.
B)The governor reads all bills passed by the legislature.
C)The state legislature overrode the governor's veto.
D)The governor had expressed her opposition to the bill and has now vetoed it.
E)The plaintiff made an offer because she stated her agreement to the advertised sale price, understood the limited warranty terms, and spoke directly to defendant.
F)The defendant agrees to the terms because he agrees to sell the car, understands the purchase price, and communicates his acceptance now.
G)The Buyer will make an offer because she will state her willingness to contract, will agree to the limited warranty, and will discuss the sale with the seller personally.
H)The Buyer will have made an offer because she will have stated her willingness to contract, will have agreed to the limited warranty, and will have met with the seller personally.

Accepted Answer

The plaintiff made an offer because she stated she would agree to the advertised sale price, understood the limited warranty terms, and spoke directly to defendant. The past tense is formed by adding "d" or "ed" to the end of a verb or by using the past tense form of an irregular verb. Answer A is the correct choice because "made" is the past tense of the irregular verb "to make," "stated is the past tense of the verb "to state," "understood" is the past tense of the irregular verb "to understand," and "spoke" is the past tense of the irregular verb "to speak." Answer B is not the correct choice because the verbs are stated in the present tense. Answer C is not the correct choice because the verbs are stated in the future tense. Answer D is not the correct choice because the verbs are stated in the future perfect tense.

Question 2

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the present tense?
A)Maryann will speak in Japanese.
B)Bob spoke in perfect Spanish.
C)Carla speaks fluent French.
D)Terry has spoken in Chinese.
E)Carter will owe a duty of care to Peter because Carter will be driving on Highway 5 and Peter will be riding his bicycle on Highway 5.
F)Amber owed a duty of care to Phil because Amber invited Phil onto her property for the birthday party.
G)Miguel owes a duty of care to Anna because Miguel drives his car on the road and Anna walks on the side the road.
H)George has owed a duty of care to Jerry because George has driven on a road when Jerry was a pedestrian on the road.
I)Carter owes a duty of care to Peter because Carter drives on Highway 5 and Peter will be riding his bicycle on Highway 5.
J)Amber owes a duty of care to Phil because Amber has invited Phil onto her property for the birthday party.
K)Miguel owes a duty of care to Anna because Miguel has driven his car on the road and Anna had walked on the road.
L)George owes a duty of care to Jerry because George drives on the road and Jerry walks on the road.

Accepted Answer

George owes a duty of care to Jerry because George drives on the road and Jerry walks on the road. The present tense is formed by adding an "s" to the end of the verb or by using the present tense of an irregular verb. Answer D is the correct choice because it uses the present tense of the verb "to owe," the present tense of the irregular verb "to drive," and the past tense of the verb "to walk." Answer A is not the correct choice because it uses the future tense of the irregular verb "to ride." Answer B is not the correct choice because it uses the present perfect tense of the verb "to invite." Answer C is not the correct choice because it uses the present perfect tense of the verb "to drive" and the past perfect tense of the verb "to walk."

Question 3

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the future tense?
A)Martin shall be the first recipient of the volunteer service award.
B)Millie was the first recipient of the volunteer service award.
C)Max has been a recipient of the volunteer service award.
D)Michael received the first volunteer service award.
E)The warranty deed will be valid because it stated that title is to pass, and will include the names of the parties, the legal description, and the grantor's signature.
F)The warranty deed will be valid because it will state that title is to pass, and will include the names of the parties, the legal description, and the grantor's signature.
G)The warranty deed is valid because it will state that title is to pass, and will include the names of the parties, the legal description, and the grantor's signature.
H)The warranty deed was valid because it stated that title was to pass, and included the names of the parties, the legal description, and the grantor's signature.

Accepted Answer

The warranty deed will be valid because it will state that title is to pass, and will include the names of the parties, the legal description, and the grantor's signature. The future tense is formed by using the word "shall" or "will" followed by the verb. Answer B is the correct choice because it uses the word "will" followed by the verb "to be," the word "will" followed by the verb "to state," and the word "will" followed by the verb "to include." Answer A is not the correct choice because it uses the past tense of the verb "to state." Answer C is not the correct choice because it uses the present tense of the verb "to be." Answer D is not the correct choice because all of the verbs are stated in the past tense.

Question 4

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the present perfect tense?
A)Ms. Osaka had worked with the Jackson firm.
B)Mr. Jones will fly to New York.
C)Ms. Olafson left without her briefcase.
D)Mr. Guerrero has left for the office.

Accepted Answer

Mr. Guerrero has left for the office. The present perfect tense is formed by using "has" or "have" with a past participle of a verb. Answer D is the correct choice because is uses "has" with the past participle of "to leave." Answer A is not the correct choice because is uses the past perfect tense. Answer B is not the correct choice because it uses the future perfect tense. Answer C is not the correct choice because it uses the past tense.

Question 5

Which of the following sentences does NOT use correct subject-verb agreement?
A)The Millers are not attending the wedding.
B)Jackson wore a dark blue suit.
C)Darrel are expecting us at the restaurant.
D)The Ericsons buy only the best.
E)Jerry and George gives money to charity every year.
F)Alice and Max bought a new house in Evanston.
G)Elaine likes to go shopping with Kramer.
H)Newman works for the post office.
I)A plaintiff who does not properly serve a defendant cannot proceed against that defendant.
J)A plaintiff seeking a default judgment must prove that the defendant was properly served.
K)Attorneys' fees in a default judgment case must be requested in the complaint.
L)A defendant who wants to set aside a judgment under Rule 60 have to show good cause.
M)The police officer who arrested the defendant testified that the defendant was fleeing the scene.
N)Some scientists with advanced training in physics works as accident reconstruction specialists.
O)Employers that operate factories or construction companies often pay high premiums for workers' compensation insurance.
P)A criminal defendant who takes the witness stand waives certain constitutional rights.
Q)Each one of the defendants, who were all present in the courtroom, entered a plea of "not guilty."
R)None of the plaintiffs who were still recovering from their injuries was present in the courtroom.
S)Under the Rules of Evidence, all offers to settle a civil dispute is inadmissible to prove liability.
T)All of the plaintiffs who consumed the town's well water developed leukemia.
U)Under the Universal Service Fund, telecommunications in rural and low-income areas are subsidized.
V)Under the long-arm statute, no one who causes an event to occur within the state can avoid liability.
W)Every one of the jurors agreed that the defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff arising from the operation of the plane.
X)Under the constitution, some FCC regulation of material broadcast over the air is permissible.

Accepted Answer

Under the Universal Service Fund, telecommunications in rural and low-income areas are subsidized. The subject and verb of a sentence must either both be singular or both be plural. A few words, however, are treated as singular even though spelled in a plural form (e.g., communications and telecommunications). Answer A is the correct choice because "telecommunications" is the subject and treated as singular and the verb ("are") is in the plural form. Answer B is not the correct choice because the subject ("no one") is treated as singular and the verb ("can avoid") is singular. Answer C is not the correct choice because "Every one of . . ." is treated as singular and the verb ("agreed") agrees. Answer D is not the correct choice because the subject ("regulation") is singular and the verb ("is") agrees.

Question 6

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the pronoun in the introductory phrase?
A)On his way out the door, Dorothy gave Bobby his sack lunch.
B)After it saw the lion, the lion chases after it.
C)When Maxine saw her dress, she told Kara it was beautiful.
D)In her speech to the Rotary Club, Janice stressed the need for additional fundraising.

Accepted Answer

In her speech to the Rotary Club, Janice stressed the need for additional fundraising. When a pronoun is used in an introductory phrase, the noun it replaces must be the first word of the main clause of the sentence-the noun should follow the comma at the end of the introductory phrase. Answer D is correct because the pronoun "her" is used in the introductory phrase, and the noun to which it refers ("Janice") is the first word of the main clause in the sentence. Answer A is not the correct choice because "his" in the introductory phrase refers to "Bobby" in the main clause, and "Bobby" is not the first word of the main clause. Answer B is not the correct choice because "it" does not refer to "the lion" in the main clause. Answer C is not the correct choice because the pronoun "her" in the introductory clause cannot refer to another pronoun ("she" in the main clause), and if it refers to Kara, then the pronoun "her" does not refer to the first word in the main clause.

Question 7

Which of the following sentences does NOT correctly use the pronoun and/or noun in the introductory phrase?
A)In its motion for summary judgment, the corporate plaintiff argued that the defendant was liable for breach of the contract.
B)In Kramer's suit against George, Kramer asserted a negligence claim arising from George's failure to write a script for Kramer's new television show.
C)After Carol closed the deal, she celebrated by taking everyone to dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town.
D)After several complaints were filed with the Better Business, Ricky Retailer ordered his sales staff to stop using aggressive sales tactics.

Accepted Answer

After Carol closed the deal, she celebrated by taking everyone to dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town. When a pronoun is used in an introductory phrase, the noun it replaces must be the first word of the main clause of the sentence-the noun should follow the comma at the end of the introductory phrase. Answer C is the correct choice because it does not correctly use the noun in the introductory phrase. In most situations, the noun must be the first word of the main clause of the sentence with the pronoun used in the introductory clause. Answer A is not the correct choice because a pronoun is used in the introductory clause that refers to the noun ("the corporate plaintiff") in the main clause, and the noun is the first word in the main clause. Answer B is not the correct choice because, for clarity, the noun can be used in introductory phrase and then used again as the first word in the main clause of the sentence. Answer D is not the correct choice because it does not use a pronoun or a noun (that is also the subject of the sentence) in the main clause.

Question 8

Which of the following sentences uses correct pronoun case?
A)The Chair of the Board and I are opposed to the change in business strategy.
B)The change of strategy is opposed by the Chair of the Board and me.
C)Both of the above.
D)Neither of the above.
E)Judge Williams and me disagree with the appellate court's decision.
F)Among those who disagree with the appellate court's decision are Judge Williams and I .

Accepted Answer

Neither of the above. When choosing between "[noun] and I" and "[noun] and me," the choice is made based on whether the phrase is the subject or the object of the question. When the phrase is the subject of the sentence, as in Answer A, use the "[noun] and I" phrase. When the phrase is the object of the sentence, as in Answer B, use the "[noun] and me" phrase. In this question, both answers use the wrong phrase.

Question 9

Which of the following sentences does NOT correctly use "who" or "whom"?
A)My supervisor knows Gary, with whom he has worked.
B)Samuel is the person to whom you should address your complaint.
C)Both of the above.
D)Neither of the above.

Accepted Answer

Both of the above. In this question, Answer A is correct because "whom" is used in a clause that is subordinate to the main clause (note the comma). By contrast, Answer B does not use a comma, so the clause is not dependent. If the clause is restrictive (no comma), the best way to determine if "who" or "whom" is correct is to revise the sentence without "who" or "whom" (e.g., "You should address your complaint to Samuel") and then determine if the sentence works with "he" or "she" or works with "him" or "her" (e.g., "She should address . . ."). If "he" or "she" works, then use "who"; if "him" or "her" works, then use "whom."

Question 10

Which of the following modifiers is NOT correct?
A)She has been pregnant for barely one month.
B)The new assistant brought coffee to the guests in cups.
C)I knew after a review of the traffic video that the defendant ran the red light.
D)The lion in the cage roared at the audience.
E)The news reporter filed a story on the robbery from The Times.
F)The governor provided refreshments to the reporters at the press conference.
G)The driver in the red car witnessed the yellow truck with a logo run the red light.
H)The owl in the barn hooted at the farmer.
I)Remembering to call George, Jerry was about to leave the apartment.
J)As the guests began arriving, Alex was not ready for the party.
K)While driving around the block, my employer made a court appearance.
L)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

All of the above. Dangling modifiers do not modify anything. Answer A is not correct because "Remembering to call George" does not modify anything. A better construction for the sentence is: "Jerry was about to leave the apartment when he remembered to call George." Answer B is not correct because "As the guests began arriving" does not modify anything. A better construction for the sentence is "Alex was not ready for the party when the guests began arriving." Answer C is not correct because "While driving around the block" does not modify anything. A better construction is: "While I was driving around the block, my employer made a court appearance."

Question 11

Which of the following correctly uses the conjunction?
A)Jerry and Elaine went to see Silence of the Lambs, while George went to see a science fiction movie.
B)Lonnie Lawyer was still preparing for the hearing, and the judge entered the courtroom.
C)Marsha wanted to go to lunch but Sandra was not ready.
D)Sonia revised the discovery requests and Peter entered the changes.

Accepted Answer

Lonnie Lawyer was still preparing for the hearing, and the judge entered the courtroom. Answer B is correct because is correctly uses a comma and "and" to join two complete sentences. Answer A is not the correct choice because it incorrectly uses "while" as a coordinate conjunction. (The sentence would be correct if the comma was removed.) Answer C is not the correct choice because "but" is a coordinate conjunction and a comma is required before "but." Answer D is not the correct choice because "and" is a coordinate conjunction and a comma is required before "and."

Question 12

Which of the following sentences is correct?
A)A defendant will be liable for negligence if the plaintiff proves a duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.
B)If the plaintiff proves a duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages, a defendant will be liable for negligence.
C)Both of the above.
D)Neither of the above.

Accepted Answer

Both of the above. The subordinate conjunctions include if, when, although, because, whether, and while. A comma is not needed before the subordinate conjunction. However, if the subordinate clause is moved and used as an introductory phrase, a comma is required at the end of the phrase. Answers A and B provide correct examples of each variation.

Quiz 1: Communication

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the past tense?

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the present tense?

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the future tense?

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the present perfect tense?

Which of the following sentences does NOT use correct subject-verb agreement?

Which of the following sentences correctly uses the pronoun in the introductory phrase?

Which of the following sentences does NOT correctly use the pronoun and/or noun in the introductory phrase?

Which of the following sentences uses correct pronoun case?

Which of the following sentences does NOT correctly use "who" or "whom"?

Which of the following modifiers is NOT correct?

Which of the following correctly uses the conjunction?

Which of the following sentences is correct?